


The Most Precious Gift

by GalaxyTrees



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken, Tuck Everlasting - Miller/Tysen/Shear & Federle
Genre: Angst, Bilingual Character(s), Canon Era, Fluff, Guns, Mentions of Death and Violence, Ralbert kinda, Sickness, Tuck Everlasting/Newsies Crossover, and no one has written anything like this, i need to stop hurting my young ones, i probably won’t though, like on the way but not full out, polylingual characters, poor race, so I thought I’d give it a try, the fair, thid is so long omg, this is based on BTC being in TE and Newsies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-24 07:30:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16635590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalaxyTrees/pseuds/GalaxyTrees
Summary: Family: NounLife’s greatest blessing. A group that dreams, laughs, plays, and loves together. Those whom you can always count on. Always present, not only in the good times.The most Precious Gift.———————Antonio Shea Higgins has always been alone.





	The Most Precious Gift

**Author's Note:**

> YEET LETS GO

Antonio Shea Higgins, has always been alone.  
In 1890 his family boarded a ship to America in hopes in living a better life; leaving their Italy, their home, behind them. When the boat docked Maria Romano took her son by the hand and led him down to New York City. Six year old Antonio watched the people pass with curiosity. This place was very different from Italy. While waiting for the rest of their family the two stayed by a booth selling fruit. A boy, who had to have been his age, was holding newspapers and yelling in the odd language of this new land.   
“Mother,” Antonio asked, pulling on his mothers skirt. “What is he doing? Why is he yelling?”   
Maria looked at the boy with the Newspapers and smiled a bit. Her son was always asking questions.   
“That, baby, is what the Americans call a Newsboy. He sells the Newspapers to the people walking on the street to get money. It’s his job.”   
The young boy looked from his mother to the Newsboy and back again.   
“But he’s as old as I am. Why is he working? I thought little boys went to school.”  
Maria shook her head and shushed her son.   
“Why must you question everything, young one?”  
Antonio stopped asking questions after that. He didn’t want to annoy his mother after all. But he couldn’t keep his attention away from the Newsboy. The way he wove through the streets and talked to the adults; it was mesmerizing.   
While his mother’s attention was on the ship Antonio slipped towards the Newsboy. He watched in aw how the young boy could get everyone to buy a paper.   
Tony turned back to tell his mother about the Newsboy, but she wasn’t there.   
“Madre?” He asked to the crowd. “Madre?”  
He wandered around the platform looking for his mother’s familiar blonde hair and blue skirt. But it was nowhere in sight.   
Tony sat down, defeated, tears streaming down his face. What was he supposed to do now?  
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?”   
Tony looked up to see a man in a horrific yellow suit.   
“I lost my mother and I don’t know how to find her! Please can you help me?”   
“Woah woah woah little one. Slow down. I can’t understand you. Where are you from?”  
“Italia.”   
“Oh you poor thing. What’s your name son?”  
“Antonio.”  
“Well, Antonio, why don’t you come with me?” 

Antonio Shae Higgins was living his best life. The nine year old Italian immigrant was part of a traveling fair, run by the man in the hideous yellow suit.   
He would dance, sing, and juggle as soon as the sun was down. Then as it rose he would help the others pack up their stalls and they would move on to the next town.   
Antonio loved it. Getting to see a new city every day, constantly making people smile and laugh; he wouldn’t have it any other way.   
Then, the unthinkable happened. The Man in the Yellow suit went out to the woods to find his magic water; and never came back.   
Antonio didn’t know what to do. One of the woman cried and held onto another. Some men were surprised, others disappointed.   
“What are we going to do now?” Antonio asked his favorite dancer, Julian.   
Julian gave Antonio a sad smile and ruffled his hair. “I donno bout the others kid, but I’m goin back home. Best see my family before they all die out on me. I suggest you do the same.”  
“I can’t.”  
“Why not, kid?” Julian asked kneeling down to be on Antonio’s level.   
“I donno knows where they are. When we got off the ship I got lost. Couldn’t see them no more.The Man in the Yellow found me. He said he’d take good care of me.”  
Julian’s eyes were wide.   
“Oh, Antonio, I’m so sorry.”   
Tony shrugged. “Is okay! I’ll find them one day! I just know it. I’ll find my family I promise you.”  
Julian lowered his head, trying not to look at the young child.   
“How about, just until you find your family that is, you come with me?”  
Tony started up at Julian with aw. “You mean it?”  
“Of course. I wouldn’t want my favorite racer to be left alone would I?”   
Tony laughed happily. “You’re my favorite person in the world Julian!”  
“I need you to do one thing for me first,” Julian said putting his hands on Antonio’s shoulders.   
“I’ll do anything!”  
“I need you to let me win a race.”  
Antonio laughed, “not a chance old man!”  
He takes of sprinting around the fairgrounds, Julian close behind. 

Traveling with Julian was almost as fun as being with the fair. They would dance and race and sing and find constellations in the sky. It was everything Tony wished for.   
One day, while Julian and Antonio were walking down the road tossing a ball back and forth when a woman and her daughter crossed their path.   
“Hello!” The daughter said to Tony. “My name is Mary! It’s nice to meet you, would you like to be my friend?”  
Tony looked to Julian for help.   
“You can say yes.” He whispered.   
“I would like that.” Tony said to the girl.   
“Your son is very sweet.” The woman said to Julian.   
Instead of correcting her, Julian just looked down at Antonio and smiled. “He is.”   
Tony had never smiled harder in his life.   
The woman, Teresa, stayed around much longer than they had anticipated.

Two years later, and 11 year old Antonio had found his family. Teresa and Julian were happily married, and Mary was his best friend. They had a small house on the border of New York and Vermont. Julian worked at the Corner Store, and Teresa made clothes for the local families.   
“Momma,” Mary started one day while everyone was sitting in the family room. “What do you want for your birthday?”   
Teresa smiled and get down the shirt she was working on.   
“I don’t want anything. I have everything I need in life. A wonderful husband. A beautiful daughter. And the best son a woman could ask for.”   
That night was perfect. Tony was had found his place.   
But, good things never seem to last, do they? 

It was a cloudless night, some time the next summer. Mary and Antonio were out catching fireflies. Teresa called Mary into the house.   
“I’ll be right back.” Mary had said wither her classic lopsided grin.   
“Hurry! I want to fill this jar!” Tony watched his little sister go, then turned back to the trees, looking for more glowing bugs.   
He saw a light back near the tree line and started that way. He followed the firefly until he couldn’t see his house. But, he was determined to catch the bug, to show Mary. And Julian and Teresa.   
Once it was in his jar he ran back to the house in hopes of impressing his family.   
Right when he got to the tree line he stopped.   
A pair of men were walking towards the ground door. He could see his family through the kitchen window laughing at something Julian had said.   
Tony tried to go towards the house but his feet were frozen. One of the men at the door pulled out a gun while the other kicked the door in.   
Antonio watched in horror as the men ran into the house and started yelling at the family. Julian pushes Mary and Teresa begins him as the first man aims his gun at them.   
Teresa looks in his direction and freezes. He couldn’t come in the house. Teresa would not let these men kill her son.   
The men, too busy threatening Julian and sacking the house, didn’t see Teresa mouth the one word that saved Tony’s life.   
Run.   
Antonio dropped the glass jar and set into a dead sprint towards town. I can make it he thought to himself. If I get the police I can save them.   
Tony knew it was too late when a loud bang rang through the still night air. He froze in the middle of the forest.   
Two more bangs followed.   
3\. One for Julian. One for Teresa. And one for Mary.   
Once again, Antonio Shea Higgins was alone. 

The next year, 1896, 12 year old Antonio roamed the New York countryside. Until finally he caught a train going SouthWest, to New York City.   
The city was just the same as it was six years ago, loud, bustling, and fast.   
Antonio kept his head down and followed the flow of the crowd. He walked and walked till nightfall. Not knowing what else to do the young boy curls up behind a wash house, hoping that he’ll live to see the morning light.   
Two weeks later Antonio has found a routine. He would wake up, find some food for breakfast, walk until sunset, find some more food, and then settle down for the night. Until, that is, he came across Sheepshead Races in Coney Island, Brooklyn. He was amazed by the speed of the horses ad the cheering of the crowd. This is where I belong he thought. After that a new schedule was formed. He would sleep by the stables, and sneak in to watch the races. Nick food off of the high class observers, and make bets with the low class workers.   
Things were going great until one day a security guard grabs his arm.   
“What are you doing in here kid? Where are your parents?”   
Not knowing what else to do Antonio ripped his arm from the man's grasp and ran. He ran and ran and ran until he couldn’t run anymore. Even when the sun set he kept going, there was no way he could stay in Brooklyn after that. 

6 hours later he was walking in the streets of Manhattan. He could see the Newsboys selling along the streets; conning people into buying their papers. There were Newsboys is Brooklyn too, but Tony never payed them any mind. The Manhattan boys were different. As he passed they would give him glances. At his torn clothes and dirty face.   
Until, a little after lunch, a boy a few years older than him, walks up to him.   
“Hey, Is was walkin’ and I noticed that you looks a little lost. Need help?”  
Not knowing this boy, or what he wanted Antonio stood tall, throwing on his bravado from his years working at the fair.   
“Is fine. Know exactly where I’m goin’.”   
The boy didn’t look convinced. Tony noticed that he was wearing a hat like the Newsboys. He must be one! Tony thought to himself.   
“Look, my name is Jack, I’m a Newsie. You’re wandering the streets of Hattan with this, this far off look on ya face. Ya sure your okay? I can give ya some food and a place to sleep if you need it?”  
Stubborn as always Tony stood his ground.   
“Grazie, but is fine. I don’t need nobody’s help.”   
Antonio walked around Jack, resuming the path he was on.   
“Hey!” Jack called to him. Tony turned around. “Be careful, alright? It’s supposed to snow tonight. Don’t want ya gettin sick or nothin.”   
Antonio nodded and kept walking. 

Around 10 PM that night Tony was regretting not taking Jack’s offer. He might be able to get food and run from trouble, but he had no defense against the harshness of the New York snow. He was standing in an alleyway shaking from the cold. Cars and carriages passed by on the street, but no one paid any mind to the young Italian boy freezing to death.   
He was about sit down and give up when he remembered something.   
It was Julian when he was teaching Tony how to juggle.   
“It’s okay Racer, just take it slow and don’t give up. There’s no reward to sitting on your ass and watching other people do what you should be doing.”   
Antonio took a deep breath and stood up shakily. If he could just make it to some place warm-   
“Hey! Are you okay?”  
Antonio turned around to see Jack and another boy, with rich red hair at the other end of the alley.   
“Jack-“ Tony said, taking a step in their direction.   
Before he could get any farther a cold gust of wind pushes its way into the alley. A violent chill wracks Tony’s body and he goes crumbling to the ground.   
“Oh meu Deus!” The redhead yells, rushing to get Tony.   
“We need to get him to the lodging house! Pressa!”  
Between the two boys it was relatively easy to carry Tony to the Lodging House. Getting him to wake up, was a different story.   
Jack and another Newsboy, Mush, piled Tony with blankets and put him near the fireplace.   
“What’s going on? One of the littuns told me someone’s dead.”   
Said a figure walking down the stairs.   
“Ah, Blue, hows it goin?” Jack asked the Manhattan leader.   
“Jack, what did you do?” Blue asked narrowing her eyes.   
“Remember that kid I told you about?”  
“The Italian one? Yeah.”   
Jack motioned to the unconscious boy.   
“Found ‘im.”   
“Oh my god! Is he okay?”   
Another Newsie, this one with blonde hair and an eyepatch, comes tumbling down the stairs with some water.   
“If we put it over the fire for a few minutes it should warm up enough.” He says slightly out of breath.   
“Do we know if he’s a Newsie?” Blue asks, taking in the scene in front of her.   
“I don’t think so. I said somethin bout bein a Newsie and he looked confused. So’s I’m guessin he’s a new immigrant.”   
“I’m guessin Italy, ele parece. He looks it.” Said the redhead, who had his hand on Tony’s forehead.   
“Alright. So’s we can’t leave ‘im alone so we’s gonna do shifts so watch ‘im.” Blue explains her plan to the others, then goes to check on the little Newsies. 

At about 3AM Antonio woke up shivering. He looked around to see a dark room, lit only by a fire in a fireplace. He wasn’t sure where he was or who he was with but he was covered in mounds of blankets and cloth.   
“Bem-vindo à terra dos vivos. Welcome to land of the living.”   
Tony looked to his right to see the redheaded boy tending to the fire.   
“Dove sono?” Tony mumbled.   
“English, please? Or at least a language I can understand?”  
“And what languages do you understand?” Tony asked in a quiet voice.”  
The redhead chuckled and poked at an ember. “I can speak English I guess. And Portuguese and Irish.”   
“Impressionante. Say something in Irish?”  
“Tá tú an-gleoite buachaill mystery.”   
“What does it mean?”   
The redhead blushed a bit and looked back at the fire. “Nothing.”  
Tony decided to not question something for once in his life.   
After a few minutes he spoke again. “I’m Albert, by the way.”   
“That’s a cool name.” Tony whispered.   
“It’s not my real name. It’s a nickname. All of us here have them. You don’t have to use your real name if you don’t want to.”  
“È bizzarro. Why?”  
“It’s always been that way. Newsies get nicknames. Blue, our leader, says it’s cause we don’t get to control anything in our lives. Says that it gives us something to have power over.”  
Tony didn’t know what to say to that.   
“Wow. That’s somethin.”  
Albert huffed out a laugh. “It sure is. So, what should I call you?”  
Tony thought for a moment. “Race.”  
Albert tilted his head to the side. “Race?”   
Tony, now Race, smiled slightly, thinking back to Julian.   
“An old nickname given by someone important.”  
“Ah, I see. Well, Race. We should get you cleaned up. I didn’t think one person could have so much dirt on their face.”   
“Stai zitto, rosso.”   
Albert pulled Race out of his blanket cocoon and up to the washroom. He explained that the water will be cold, so they’ll have to move quickly. Race nodded and did his best to not squirm in the bitter water and wake the others.   
Once they were back down at the fire, with Race wrapped up in blankets, properly this time, Albert looked Race and couldn’t stop.   
Without the dirt and grime he was beautiful. Hid cheeks and nose were slightly red and his eyes impossibly blue.   
Race caught his eyes and smiled a bit.   
“What?”   
Instead of being embarrassed because he was caught Albert teased Race instead.   
“I didn’t know you were blonde.”   
Race’s hand flys to his freshly washed hair.   
“I guess all of the dirt made it impossible to tell.”   
Albert let out another chuckle before his smile fell.   
“If you don’t mind me asking, Race, but, where did you come from.”   
Race looked at Albert. Should he tell him? He had only just met the Irish boy a few hours ago. But, if he was going to be here a while might as well make a friend he could trust.   
“My family is originally from Italy. But, when we came here I got separated. I spent the next three years with a travelling fair. After that fell apart this dancer took me in and we lived in Vermont until-” He stopped suddenly. He couldnt even say it. He was still plauged with nightmares from that night.   
“Let’s jsut say something bad happened and now I’m here.”  
“Freezing to death in New York because you’re too stuborn to accept help?”  
Race stared up at Albert. “How did you-”  
“Jack told us about earlier today while you are out. I gotta say, I’s stupid and reckless, but i knows not to stay out in this weather. What were you thinking Race?”  
Race stared at the fire. He couldn’t this boy, who he barely knows, is worried about him.   
“I wasn’t.” He said finally.   
Albert snorted and pushed his hair out of his face. “Got that right. Now get some sleep, you got a long day ahead of you.”   
“How are you so good at this?” Albert yells in frusteration. Race just smirks at him, enjoying the older boys incredulousness.   
“When I first started selling it took me months to sell half of my papes!”   
Race was sitting on the steps of the lodging house watching Albert pace and bitch about how well Race had ajusted to being a Newsie.   
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Albert suddenly asks.   
“I was staring?”   
“Yeah. Do I have something on my face?”   
Race looks down at his hands. “No, nothing.”   
“Okay,” Albert said, albiet skeptical. 

Race was ajusting well to Newsie life. He made bets with the older boys, played nice with the younger kids, taught Italian to the the kids who wanted to learn. At night he shared a bunk with Albert, and in the day they shared a selling spot.   
It was a night in January when Race realized something. He was sitting near the fireplace with Albert stretched out across his lap. Race was runnign his fingers through Albert’s slighty too long hair, and adding little braids every once and a while. He looked up to see Blue and Jack going over a map of the city, Specs, Mush, and Blink playing jacks, and Finch, Buttons, and Henry were playing a card game.   
“Penny for your thoughts?” Albert asked in a sleepy voice.   
“I was thinkin about how much my life has changed. Everyone here has made me so happy.”   
“Well, i hope so!” Albert said with a snort. “We are your família after all.”   
Race’s hand stopped mid motion. Albert opened his eyes to see Race staring at him with wide eyes.   
He sat up quickly to see glassy, unshed, tears in his eyes.   
“Race? Oh meu Deus did i say something wrong?”   
“No, no no no.” Race speaks quickly. He grabs Albert’s hands. “I’ve been looking for my place, for a family for so long. And I’m così fottutamente felice that you found me in that alley. I don’t know what I’d do if you hadn’t.”   
“Ar ndóigh, Racer. We’ll always be here for you. That’s what family’s for.”   
Antonio Shea Higgins was 13 when he wasn’t alone anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Guys this literally took me all day, I seriously hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> As always; Kudos and Comment! I cherish every one! I love you all!


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